


Making a Deal

by TwistedSamurai



Series: Experiment L0-435 [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Gen, He's not a nice person, Hojo buys a child, Warning: Hojo (Compilation of FFVII)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26426968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedSamurai/pseuds/TwistedSamurai
Summary: Hojo has plans for a new experiment, and some new serums he needs to test out to see if they really work. But the problem is he needs a young child to test on. Luckily for him, two of his lab workers have fallen on hard times and have just had a child. All he needs to do now is give them something in return.
Series: Experiment L0-435 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1920907
Kudos: 2





	Making a Deal

The office was cold, almost matching the indifference Hojo felt towards the family in front of him. Hojo had done this countless times before. Not with assistants or employees he knew, but this idea needed to be brought to light now, he didn’t have time to wait for others to find him a possibly suitable match for what he needed. He knew that if he could just get his hands on this child, his theory could be tested properly, and not on some weak excuse of a subject that had been dragged in.

“It’s simple, really. Your child, in return for the amount I have stated in the papers here.” A long bony finger tapped on the sheets. “You’ll move to Junon, and not come back to these labs again once I have begun testing things properly.” Hojo said almost boredly, the well-practiced words coming out easily as he looked between the couple before him before glancing at the small infant currently asleep in its mother’s arms. The small child was half a year old, still small, and still completely innocent to the world around it.

“Professor… This isn’t just some subject, it’s our son…” Hojo nearly rolled his eyes at the words. Son- did they not realize what he’d done with the child that Lucrecia had given birth to? His own flesh and blood? The scientist nodded slightly, though, trying to look at least somewhat sympathetic. They seemed to buy it. This wasn’t a topic he could just avoid at all, he had to play if carefully now. If he said something the wrong way, at all, he would risk the chance of them just leaving. Hojo preferred not to do this by force.

“Of course, I understand that. My own son is with Shinra as well. He went through testing similar to what I will be giving yours.” A lie. Hojo had no plans to put this infant through the years of training Sephiroth had gone through. It had taken too much effort and he wasn’t wasting time on that again. The amount of money they had poured into Sephiroth wouldn't be poured into another subject. “I will make sure he is well cared for. And of course, until he starts aging up, you’ll be able to be around him still… If you wish. If not, I understand that too.”

“… If… After the first while, we want to back out of this deal…” The woman’s voice seemed to cause the baby to stir, and she focused on the child, trailing off on her question. Hojo nearly scoffed as she softly shushed and rocked them back to sleep again before they could start crying. Why she wasted the time to do that was beyond him, as grateful as he was the little brat wouldn’t scream, but he waited for her to finish none the less. Interrupting her would not only make the child actually cry, but it would cause problems in getting them to agree. He looked back up at her as she spoke softly. “… We will be able to, won’t we?”

Hojo at first was silent. While he had made it so they wouldn't be able to do anything once things were signed, they couldn't know until after. “I can’t reverse anything that is done in that time, but until the child is two, then the testing will not fully begin.” He replied carefully. A newborn was of use to him, but not if they stayed a baby for long. He needed them a little bit older than this to perform anything. Besides, he would simply keep them from knowing any of the harsher tests he was doing, he thought to himself. The tests would not be pretty once the aging serum he was working on was ready.

He could see them debating and sat back in his chair a bit more. Hojo knew what he was doing- these two were the bottom of the pile, in the labs. With debts rising higher and higher, as well as a newborn baby, they had had to move to the slums of sector six last year. This had nearly cost them both their jobs, but somehow, they’d stayed on payroll. Or rather, their child had kept them there. Once Hojo had paid them this amount he would see them sent to Junon and leave them to work for Shinra there. It was not his problem after that, they were on their own with either keeping their jobs or going somewhere else.

“Well-…" There was a long pause now, as they two stared at each other. He could feel his impatience growing with every second before there was a low sigh of defeat and a small nod. "It’s a deal then, sir.” Hojo sat forward again, shaking both their hands with a nod to them both. He fought the grin he could already feel on his lips as they agreed, pulling the newly signed papers back over to his side of the desk before they could look over them a second time. The time he had spent in the office now was far more than he wanted to spend, and them looking over everything would only waste more of his time.

“Wonderful. When he’s two, we’ll move him into a room in the building, I have another child that I have taken under my wing for the same program here as well. Then I can explain the rest of the testing in better details.” He said. Both parents looked relieved, at being included in this as they signed the paper. Neither of them noticed how Hojo had put in the papers that the child in question was losing full contact with them, and they were losing full custody of it. He had skimmed over it, kept them distracted with other discussion. Easily done, they seemed to assume they would have some kind of control here, which was exactly what Hojo had been hoping for.

The director knew what he was doing, and it was easy for him. Once the papers were signed, he thanked them for their time, and watched them leave. The moment the door shut he put the papers away and laughed quietly into the empty space.

Now, it was time to get to work prepping everything. He had theories to test, and a new subject to test them on.


End file.
